Water reservoir container for a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A water reservoir container intended to be installed in the roof region of a vehicle, is generally cylindrically symmetrical and has an at least partially curved circumferential surface and two end faces adapted to the dimensions of the circumferential surface. At least two mutually opposite fastening brackets are attached to the circumferential surface of the water reservoir container in order to install the water reservoir container in the roof region of the vehicle.

The invention relates to a water reservoir container for mounting in theroof region of a vehicle, in particular rail vehicle, said waterreservoir container generally being of cylindrically symmetrical form.

Such a water reservoir container is used in vehicles of all types, suchas trains, aircraft and ships, and is part of a water supply system forthe respective vehicle. Various consumers which are present on thevehicle are supplied with water from the water reservoir container. Suchconsumers are, for example, a WC, a hand wash basin, a food preparationfacility, a dishwasher, etc, the delivery of water taking place in eachcase via suitable pipelines.

In light of the limited capacity of a water reservoir container, thisregularly has to be filled up with water so as to be constantlyavailable to the connected consumers.

Water reservoir containers used hitherto in vehicles are ofcylindrically symmetrical form and have a rectangular base. The resultof this is that, for new projects, the design of water containers has tobe adapted to these in each case. Examples of vehicles equipped in thisway are: ICE T, ICE 3, Velaro E, Velaro RUS and Velaro CRH3.

Proceeding from this, the object on which the invention is based is tospecify a water reservoir container for mounting in the roof region of avehicle, which water reservoir container can be used in many differentvehicles at low outlay in terms of adaptation. In the water reservoircontainer initially mentioned, this object is achieved in that it has anat least partially curved circumferential face and two end faces adaptedto the dimensions of the circumferential face, at least two mutuallyopposite fastening brackets for mounting the water reservoir containerin the roof region of the vehicle being attached to a circumferentialface of the water reservoir container.

The at least partially curved circumferential face has the effect that,for example in curved high roofs in the rail vehicle sector, the waterreservoir container can beneficially utilize the space available in theroof region. This is the case particularly when the curved part of thecircumferential face is adapted to a curvature of the roof in theinstallation region.

The at least two fastening brackets provided enable the water reservoircontainer to be used in various forms of vehicle. In at least thepredominant number of cases, it will be possible to carry out on thevehicle side adaptations such that mounting with the aid of thefastening brackets is possible. The fastening brackets may otherwiseeven be modified, if required.

To utilize the space available in the roof region of a vehicle, it maybe beneficial if the base of the water reservoir container is ofessentially elliptic form. In this case, the water reservoir containerwill be arranged in the roof region in such a way that its largestdiameter is arranged essentially horizontally with respect to thevehicle. The circumferential face of the water reservoir container canthereby be adapted beneficially to the shape of the roof, for example inso far as the vehicle is a version with a high roof. The water reservoircontainer may have a peripheral margin for support in the roof region ofthe vehicle. This refers particularly to the use of the water reservoircontainer on flat roofs. In so far as these are provided with a suitablydimensioned pressed cutout, the water reservoir container can beembedded into this cutout and is supported on the roof of the vehicle.Fastening of the water reservoir container additionally takes place withthe aid of the fastening brackets.

Advantageously, the water reservoir container is designed to be selfsupporting. This means that, for mounting purposes, any materialreinforcements on the water reservoir container may be dispensed with.Its mounting in the roof region of the vehicle can be carried out solelywith the aid of the fastening brackets.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detailbelow with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view of a roof region of a rail vehiclewith an installed water reservoir container in a high roof version,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a water reservoir container forinstallation in a rail vehicle in a flat roof version, and

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of a waterreservoir container for installation in a rail vehicle in a high roofversion.

The water reservoir containers 1, 2, 3 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 havein common in each case the fact that they are cylindrically symmetricaland have an essentially elliptic base. The water reservoir containers 1,2, 3 are in each case end faces S which are adapted in each case to thedimensions of the water reservoir container 1, 2, 3 in its inner region.

FIG. 1 shows the water reservoir container 1 in the installed state,specifically in the roof region of a rail vehicle in a high roofversion. It can be seen that a circumferential face U of the waterreservoir container 1 is curved at least in its region facing the roof4. This curvature is selected such that the construction space insidethe roof 4 can be utilized as efficiently as possible. At the same time,care must be taken to ensure that the form of construction of the waterreservoir container 1, 2, 3 is such that a self supporting structure isobtained. This ensures that the water reservoir container 1, 2, 3 can beused not only on a special type of vehicle, but, for example, throughoutan entire fleet or else in different vehicle series, with onlyinsignificant adaptation work needed.

This adaptation work refers primarily to enabling the water reservoircontainer 1, 2, 3 to be mounted in the roof region of a respective railvehicle. For this purpose, fastening brackets 5, 6, 7 are provided whichare arranged horizontally and opposite one another on the respectivewater reservoir container 1, 2, 3 and are in each case welded to a basicbody of the water reservoir container 1, 2, 3 from outside. Thefastening brackets lie in the region of the largest diameter of thewater reservoir container 1, 2, 3.

It should be emphasized that FIG. 1 shows the water reservoir container1 for a high roof version of a rail vehicle, the water reservoircontainer 1 being arranged between the roof 4 and an internal ceiling 8.The fastening brackets 4 are in this case supported on longitudinal roofbeams 9 of the rail vehicle; these being the sole supports for the waterreservoir container 1. FIG. 2 shows the water reservoir container 2 foruse on a rail vehicle in a flat roof version. Here, as compared with theembodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 3, an additional peripheral margin10 is provided. The water reservoir container 2 is inserted into acorrespondingly dimensioned cutout in the flat roof of the rail vehicle,the margin 10 then being supported on the respective roof portion.

The water reservoir containers 1 and 2 are designed in each case for atwo-day filling cycle, the water reservoir container 3 according to FIG.3 being intended for a one day filling cycle. To that extent, the waterreservoir containers 1, 2, on the one hand, and the water reservoircontainer 3, on the other hand, differ from one another in their holdingcapacity for fresh water.

1-4. (canceled)
 5. A water reservoir container for mounting in a roofregion of a vehicle, the water reservoir container comprising: agenerally cylindrically symmetrical shape; an at least partially curvedcircumferential surface having dimensions; two end faces adapted to saiddimensions of said circumferential surface; and at least two mutuallyopposite fastening brackets attached to said circumferential surface andconfigured to mount the water reservoir container in the roof region ofthe vehicle.
 6. The water reservoir container according to claim 5,which further comprises a base having a substantially elliptical shape.7. The water reservoir container according to claim 5, which furthercomprises a peripheral margin configured to support the water reservoircontainer in the roof region of the vehicle.
 8. The water reservoircontainer according to claim 5, wherein the water reservoir container isconstructed to be self-supporting.